EA dismisses effect of video game actor's strike, says it won't have "any significant short-term impact"
"We're working diligently to negotiate at the table."
EA CEO Andrew Wilson has discussed the impact of the SAG-AFTRA actors strike, stating the company doesn't anticipate "any significant short-term impact".
Wilson's comments were during a Q&A after its latest earnings call, where an investor questioned the impact of the strike.
The CEO replied the company is "working diligently to negotiate at the table" but doesn't expect "near-term disruption to any of the games we have in development" or current live-service games.
His full quote is as follows (thanks IGN):
"We deeply value our talented actors who are an important part of the work we do to deliver the incredible entertainment experiences that our players enjoy around the world. We're working very closely; this is not an EA-specific situation, this is an industry-specific situation, and we're working diligently to negotiate at the table. The way it works now in terms of our product specifically is that the strike is limited to games commencing production after September 2023, including live service games. So we don't expect any near-term disruption to any of the games we have in development or any of the live services we're currently running. That being said, we're committed to continuing to bargain in good faith and are hopeful that the parties can expediently resolve our issues at the bargaining table. But we're not anticipating any significant short-term impact at EA."
Members of the US actors' union SAG-AFTRA voted last week to go on strike due to concerns over the use of AI in video games as part of the Interactive Media Agreement.
The union has been in negotiations for over a year and a half with a number of major game companies, including EA, but has so far failed to reach a deal.
"We're not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse AI to the detriment of our members," SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said. "Enough is enough. When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live - and work - with, we will be here, ready to negotiate."
A collective statement from video game producers responded: "We are disappointed the union has chosen to walk away when we are so close to a deal, and we remain prepared to resume negotiations. We have already found common ground on 24 out of 25 proposals, including historic wage increases and additional safety provisions. Our offer is directly responsive to SAG-AFTRA's concerns and extends meaningful AI protections that include requiring consent and fair compensation to all performers working under the IMA. These terms are among the strongest in the entertainment industry."
The terms of the strike from SAG-AFTRA states all "members who want to show solidarity with the union can elect voluntarily not to work". As such, "while [non-struck games like GTA 6] may not be subject to a strike in the technical sense, their production is also subject to being disrupted by members who don't want to work without the protection of AI terms and who don't want to undermine solidarity with the union," said SAG-AFTRA's chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez.
However, it seems Wilson is confident EA's games won't be disrupted in this way.
The UK equivalent to SAG-AFTRA, Equity, has stated it stands "in solidarity" with the US union, but won't authorise its own strike.